What Are the Benefits of Slow Rep Training - Kbands Live 153

Slow reps resistance training is another method to work and challenge your muscles during a workout. This training approach provides for more muscle stimulation because every movement is performed in slow motion. Rather than performing quick pulses or 3 sets of 10, you perform every rep very, very slowly. This method of working out lets you 1) mix up your weight training routine and 2) feel the muscle burn for the muscle being worked. Slow reps weight training is great to build muscle and strength. We’ll go into more detail about why after the video. Watch the video to get pointers on how to perform slow reps training. Complete Kbands Live Fitness 153 to help build your muscles and feel the burn during each and every repetition.

Why Perform Slow Rep Training?

Slow rep training for muscle building and development of strength has been researched and proven very effective. Talk to anyone at the gym and you will get lots of advice on the best method to build muscle. Studies performed in 1993 and 1999 and re-evaluated by Virginia Tech confirmed that a slow rep weight training approach is effective, destroys the muscle and builds strength. In these two studies, which covered 8-10 weeks, participants experienced greater than 50% gains in strength. So why the huge gains?

First, when performing slow rep weight training the muscle is under constant tension. It never gets to relax anywhere in the movement. This is great to increase the time the muscle is under tension. We know increased time under tension equates to greater muscle development and strength. Just like these studies indicated. Second, slow rep training removes the element of movement from the exercises. In typical workouts, momentum in the movement helps to move the weight at the bottom of an exercise. This momentum takes the load off the muscle and allows it to just follow along, even though it is still playing a part, just not physically moving and controlling the activity in an isolated movement. Normal weight lifting capitalizes on the tendency of an item in motion tends to stay in motion. Allowing the muscle to work less. In slow rep training, there is no momentum that the muscle can use. The muscle must move the weight.

A third benefit of slow reps is being able to isolate the muscle being working. When doing bicep curls as shown in the video you are moving the weight using only your biceps. You should work to only use the muscle being worked while keeping the surrounding muscles out of the exercise and totally relaxed. This style of workout does not recruit the use of surrounding muscles to raise and lower the weight. This is a great training technique that allows you to really work one muscle, alone, without using surrounding or supporting muscles. Fourth, this training approach works the muscles to the point of failure. As we have said many times in these videos and articles you should always work to failure, lift until you are physically unable to perform any more repetitions. Forget about sets and reps, perform every exercise until you can do no more.

More Benefits of Slow Rep Training

Remember above we said the study participants experienced, on average, a greater than 50% increase in strength. Do you need more proof than that to at least add this to your training regimen? If you do, then how about this will be a killer workout!! Unlike any you have done before. Make all of your movements last longer. Try a 10-15 second raise and then lower for 4-8 seconds for each rep. Do this for every rep and continue this way until you can lift no more. This is 14-23 seconds of muscle contraction for every rep instead of the usual 4 second pulse set you have been performing. You will be amazed at how difficult it is to workout out this way. You will punish your muscles. You will also build strength, torching your muscles with every exercise. Perform slow rep weight training and watch your arm and chest size swell. For that matter watch any muscle you are targeting in your workouts grow and get stronger.

Any of the exercises and workout routines shown on Kbands Live Fitness can be performed using slow rep training. Slow rep training will add variety and mix up your weight routines. It will trash your muscles in every workout helping you to achieve the gains in strength and size you work toward. Incorporate the slow rep training approach today in your strength training routine and feel a new pump in every workout.